In episode 157 we delve deep into the workings of our infamous Utahn Mark Hofmann. Mr. Hofmann is an American counterfeiter, forger, and convicted murderer.
Born December 7th 1954 right here in Salt Lake City Utah Hofmann was raised LDS by two devoutly religious parents. Hofmann was a below-average student. Hofmann graduated from Olympus High School and went on to serve an LDS Mission.
His career in forgeries began early when as a youth he modified a penny to look like a rare 1959-D misprint penny with an estimated value of $25,000.
With a taste of success in his mouth and a little more ‘real world’ experience he went on to DARE WE SAY… FOOLED GOD HIMSELF.
As a collector and dealer in rare transcripts and documents Hoffman has access to material that would give him credence and put him in a position where no one would question him. Upon seeing the amount of money that could be made in his chosen profession Hoffman goes on to forge some of the most infamous documents in LDS history.
The Anthon Transcript. A document supposedly found by Hofmann in a 17th century King James Bible. The transcript was believed to be the unusual reformed Egyptian characters that were copied by Joseph Smith from the golden plates and used to translate the book of Mormon. This transcript was presented to Charles Anthon in 1828.
Joseph Smith III Blessing. In 1981 Hoffman arrived at the headquarters of the LDS Church with a document which supposedly provided evidence that Joseph Smith had designated his son Joseph Smith III, rather than Brigham Young, as the next prophet and leader of the church.
Perhaps the most notorious of Hofmann Mormon forgeries was the Salamander Letter. Appearing in 1984 and supposedly written by Martin Harris to W.W. Phelps, the letter presented a version of the recovery of the gold plates that contrasted the church-sanctioned version of the events. Not only did it suggest that Smith had been practicing money digging through magical practice, but it also replaced the angel in Smiths account with a white Salamander. The LDS Church offered Hofmann more that $20,000 dollars in both money and rare historical items.
No one know for sure how many forged documents Hofmann created, but there are estimates ranging from dozens, to hundreds. In October of 1985 things turn ugly for our Friendly Neighborhood Forger and with the prospect of being found out he makes and delivers (2) pipe bombs, killing Steve Christensen and Kathy Sheets. A third pipe bomb (meant for another victim) accidentally detonated in his car seriously injuring Hofmann and sending the police right to his (car) door.
Hofmann was arrested in January 1986 and charged on four indictments totaling 27 counts, including first-degree murder, delivering a bomb, constructing or possessing a bomb, theft by deception, and communication fraud. A fifth indictment, containing an additional five counts of theft by deception, was added later in January.
In 1988, before the Utah Board of Pardons, Hofmann said that he thought planting the bomb that killed Kathy Sheets was “almost a game … at the time I made the bomb, my thoughts were that it didn’t matter if it was Mrs. Sheets, a child, a dog … whoever” was killed. Within the hour the parole board, struck by Hofmann’s “callous disregard for human life,” decided that he would indeed serve his “natural life in prison.”
In December of 2015 Hofmann was transferred from the Draper prison to the Gunnison Facility where he will live out the remainder of his days.
Music By: Folk Hogan; Bootleggers Dance